Removable insert for wig carrying and storage case



April 4, 1967 w ET AL 3,312,439

REMOVABLE INSERT FOR WIG CARRYING AND STORAGE CASE Filed Nov. 25, 1964 1. A45 4; /5 INVENTQPS I] ll EUGENE A. SWEE 44/0 I By: ERNEST M. KELLY United States Patent 3,312,439 REMOVABLE INSERT FOR WIG CARRYING AND STORAGE CASE Eugene A. Swee, Bronx, and Ernest M. Kelly, Jamaica, N.Y., assignors to Miner Industries, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 25, 1964, Ser. No. 413,716 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-476) This invention relates generally to wig carrying and storage cases or boxes, and more particularly is directed to an insert for supporting a wig-carrying head form within the carrying and storage case.

With the increasing use of wigs, which term is intended to include toupees and other hair pieces, provision has been made for the storage and carrying thereof in the form of cases generally in the shape of hat boxes and having means therein for supporting a wig-carrying head form of wood, foamed polystyrene or other material. It is further desirable to provide means by which a wig may be supported on a head form outside of its carrying and storage case, for example, on a dressing table or other supporting surface so as to facilitate combing, dressing or styling of the wig.

It is an object of this invention to provide an insert for a wig-carrying andstorage case having means thereon for supporting a wig-carrying head form, and which is removable from the carrying and storage case and adapted to be secured on a dressing table or other supporting surface where the wig may be combed, dressed or styled.

A further object is to provide an insert of the described character having one or more suction cups attached to its base for securing the latter to a dressing table or other supporting surface, and wherein the attachment of the suction cup or cups to the base is arranged to facilitate the secure adhesion of the suction cup to the supporting surface and the release of the suction when it is desired to return the insert to the wig-carrying and storage case.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the removable insert for a wig-carrying and storage case comprises a flat base adapted alternatively to rest in the case and on a dressing table or other supporting surface, an upstanding peg mounted on the base and preferably free to rotate relative to the latter, such peg being adapted to support a wig-carrying head form, at least one suction cup extending through an opening in the base for engagement with a supporting surface below the latter, and means attaching the suction cup to the base and permitting relative movement of the cup and base in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the flat base.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening of the base through which the suction cup extends has an edge lying close to the cup along a major portion of the periphery of the cup, and such edge of the opening has a recess or cut-out therein through which the suction cup can be manually released from engagement with a supporting surface below the base.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the suction cup is secured to a flexible strap which is connected to the base by fastening members received in slots so as to permit the desired relative movement of the suction cup and base in directions perpendicular to the plane of the latter.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wig-carrying and stor-' age case having an insert removably disposed therein in accordance with this invention;

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FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 on FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a wig carrying and storage case provided with a removable insert 10 in accordance with this invention may be generally in the shape of a hat box having an upwardly opening body 11 with a generally circular side wall and a lid 12 hinged to the body 11 for closing the latter. The wig-carrying and storage case may further have the usual handle 13 by which the case can be transported, and cooperating latch or lock elements 14a and 14b on the body 11 and lid 12 for securing the lid in its closed positio As shown particularly on FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the rem-ovable insert 10 embodying this invention includes a base 15 in the form of a flat plate of stiff cardboard or other suitably rigid material shaped to fit closely within the body 11 of the carrying and storage case and to rest against the bottom of the latter. In order to support a wig-carrying head form indicated by broken lines at 16 on FIG. 4, a tapering peg 17 extends upwardly from base 15 and is receivable in a similarly tapered bore formed in the head form. The peg 17 is preferably mounted on the base for rotation relative to the latter, for example, by means of a nail or other headed fastening member 18 extending from below through a hole in the base 15 into the peg 17 and having friction reducing fiber or other washers 19 extending around the nail 18 above and below the base 15.

When insert 10 is removed from the wig carrying and storage case and placed upon a dressing table or other supporting surface to permit combing, dressing or styling of a wig on the head form 16 supported by peg 17, it is desirable that the base 10 of the insert be secured relative to the dressing table or other supporting surface. In order to secure base 15 to a dressing table or other supporting surface t-herebelow, the insert 10 embodying this invention further includes a suction cup 20 extending from above through an opening 21 in base 15 for adhering engagement with the supporting surface below the base. The suction cup 20 is attached to the base 15 by an assembly 22 which permits relative movement of the suction cup and base in directions perpendicular to the plane of the latter for a purpose hereinafter described in detail.

The attaching assembly 22 may include an elongated strap 23 of substantially flexible cardboard having elongated slots 24 (FIG. 2) formed in its opposite end portions and slida'bly receiving rivets or other fastening members 25 which are secured to base 15 at opposite sides of the opening 21 through which the suction cup 20 is intended to extend (FIG. 3). As shown particularly on FIG. 5, the suction cup 20 has a centrally located elongated lug 26 extending upwardly from the suction cup and having ends that are undercut, as at 27. The lug 26 projects upwardly through a central slot 28 (FIGS. 2 and 5) formed in strap 23, and the lug 26 is retained in the slot 28 by the undercut ends of the lug. It will be apparent that, during movement of suction cup 20 relative to base 15 in directions perpendicular to the plane of the base, bowing or flexing of the strap 23 is made possible by the sliding of slots 24 on rivets 25.

When base 15 of insert 10 is initially placed on a flat supporting surface indicated at S on FIG. 5, the suction cup moves upwardly relative to base 15, for example, to the position indicated by broken lines at 20' and the strap flexes accordingly to the position indicated by the suction cup 20 to the base 15, the latter can rest fiat on the supporting surface S in all positions of the suction cup relative to the base.

As shown particularly on FIG. 3, the opening 21 which, for the most part, closely follows the periphery of suction cup 20, has a notch or recess 29 through which a finger can be inserted from above base 15 for engaging the periphery of the suction cup 20 in effecting release of the adhesion of the suction cup, to the supporting surface.

The illustrated insert has only a single suction cup for securing the base to a supporting surface, however, it will be apparent that an insert embodying this invention may be provided with two or more suction cups which are similarly attached to the base of the insert. In any case, the insert 10 embodying this invention is adapted to support a wig-carrying head form 16 either within a wiggcarrying and storage case or on a dressing table or other supporting surface to which the base of the insert is secured by one or more suction cups.

Although an illustrative embodiment of this invention has been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that Various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

Whatis claimed is:

1. A removable insert for a wig-carrying and storage case, comprising a fiat base adapted alternatively to rest in the case and on a supporting surface, means on said base for supporting a wig-carrying head form, at least one suction cup, said base having an opening through which said suction cup extends for engagement with a supportingsurfacebelow the base, means attaching said suction cup to said base while permitting relative movement of said cup and base in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the flat base, said opening being substantially circular and having an edge close to said cup along a major portion of the periphery of the cup, and said edge of the opening having a recess through which the suction cup can be manually released from engagement With a supporting surface below the base.

2. A removable insert for a wig-carrying and storage case, comprising a flat base adapted alternatively to rest in the case and on a supporting surface, means on said base for supporting a wig-carrying head form, at least one suction cup, said base having an opening through which said suction cup extends for engagement with a supporting surface below the base, a flexible strap to which said suction cup is secured, fastening members extending through said base at opposite sides of said opening, and slots in said strap receiving said fastening members to permit said strap to bow between said fastening members, thereby to permit relative movement of said cup and base in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the flat base while attaching said cup to said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,076,250 10/ 1913 Ulrich 248-206 X 1,666,664 4/1928 Newlin 248206 X 3,198,408 8/1965 Benner 248-44 X 3,254,757 6/ 1966 Raskin 206--8 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,592 1888 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

MARTHA L. RICE, Examiner. 

1. A REMOVABLE INSERT FOR A WIG-CARRYING AND STORAGE CASE, COMPRISING A FLAT BASE ADAPTED ALTERNATIVELY TO REST IN THE CASE AND ON A SUPPORTING SURFACE, MEANS ON SAID BASE FOR SUPPORTING A WIG-CARRYING HEAD FORM, AT LEAST ONE SUCTION CUP, SAID BASE HAVING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID SUCTION CUP EXTENDS FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORTING SURFACE BELOW THE BASE, MEANS ATTACHING SAID SUCTION CUP TO SAID BASE WHILE PERMITTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID CUP AND BASE IN THE DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE FLAT BASE, SAID OPENING BEING SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR AND HAVING AN EDGE CLOSE TO SAID CUP ALONG A MAJOR PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE CUP, AND SAID EDGE OF THE OPENING HAVING A RECESS THROUGH WHICH THE SUCTION CUP CAN BE MANUALLY RELEASED FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH A SUPPORTING SURFACE BELOW THE BASE. 